Humor Books

I've seen "Monty Python's Flying Circus" so many times that I can recite long stretches of it. But those guys are always using weird accents and manic deliveries ("My neeples explode with delight!"), and sometimes they're hard to understad.

Fortunately for those times, Python fans have "The Complete Monty Python's Flying Circus: All the Words," a series from the second half of the classic comedy skit show. These are only trascripts (a bit lacking in details), but still enormous fun and full of delightfully quotable lines ("And now my lords, my ladies... your LUPINS!").

It opes with the weird "Conquistador Coffee" sketch, in which a boss berates his employee for changing the brand's name to Conquistador Instant Leprosy. ("The tingling fresh coffee that brings you exciting new cholera, mange, dropsy, the clap, hard pad, and athlete's foot." "It was a soft sell, sir.")

And then it contains plenty of others: the cheese shop with no cheese, films with giant teeth, spam spam spam, cannibal undertakers, Njorl's it's-not-that-terrible saga, the BBC's financial troubles, the Money Programme, the pantomime horse, hairdressers climbing Everest, the war against pornography, Gumbys, Dennis Moore, kamikaze highlanders, and the golden age of ballooning ("I am so excited I can hardly wash!").

The dialogue to each one is carefully outlined, with each character identified as being played by one of the guys (like "Interviewer (JOHN)"), although we usually don't get to hear much about Terry Gilliam's mad animations. Most of these episodes are one long continuing sketch that spills from one scenario to the next, but occasionally we'll have different ones patched together.

These guys had a rare, crazy talent -- these sketches are crammed with glorious dialogue ("Drop your panties, Sir William. I cannot wait till lunchtime") and bizarre insults ("you cloth-eared heap of anteater's catarrh"). Not much description of the action in places, although in a few we get plenty of detail when it's called for (such as the weirdness convention).

The problem is that this should only be read after you've seen the series. If you don't, it all seems like a befuddling string of of stream-of-consciousness comedy numbers, full of in-jokes and surreal twists. You have a better chance of finding Ilchester in a cheese shop than understanding this without seeing the skits first.

In case you couldn't understand what Eric Idle was bibbling in one episode, or John Cleese was screaming in another, "The Complete Monty Python's Flying Circus: All the Words Volume 2" will tell you what is going on. No time to lose!

This item was purchased for my daughter and she absolutely loved it. It was received in good order and in a timely manner

The Complete Monty Python's Flying Circus: All the Words, Volume 2 is the second half of a set containing the scripts of the entire series (45 episodes). This book, volume 2, contains scripts for episode 24: "How not to be seen" through episode 45: "Party Political Broadcast". This book is more fun than an endless supply of "lupins". Both volumes make great companions to the MPFC video/dvd collection ("There you go, can't be bad.") and also unlike the DVDs, there are no edits, these are the original words. So that horrible "m" word that Graham said in episode 31: "The All England Summarize Proust Competition" is in this book. Enjoy!

Yours etc., Brigadier Mainwaring Smith Smith Smith etc., Deceased etc.

FYI-This is the same as the review of Volume 1. There was no real sense in distinguishing the two.

As a fan of MPFC since it first aired on PBS in 1973, these two volumes sort of put a cap on a 30 year fascination with the team. Maybe like me, you've watched every Python-Marathon or taped every show, but having these scripts really is the icing on the cake.

What's striking to me is the simplicity of the scripts. When you watch the episodes, the gags seem so complicated. Then to see The Dead Parrot sketch reduced to just a few pages, you realize how brilliant those guys were in terms of compression, and in terms of acting. An added plus, for me at least, was to finally see the words and phrases that I never quite "got" because they were unique to British English. From there, I logged on to a few websites on British slang and, boy, I realized what MPFC got away with...some of it was pretty raunchy. Anyway, this is two-volume set is priceless for any fan.

"It's satire."
"No, it isn't. This is zany madcap humour."

With that immortal exchange, nearly everything Pythonian is summed up. For those who haven't memorized every single Python skit (or for those who have and who are looking to free up some short-term memory), this book and its companion volume ("All The Words, Volume I") are must-haves. Every single word from every single bit ever done on "Monty Python's Flying Circus" is in here. It's a joy and a treasure and a non-stap laff riot.

Every Python nut is familiar with the "wink, wink, nudge, nudge" tale, the dead parrot sketch, the Ministry of Silly Walks and so on. But even beyond these justly famed classics, there is wonderfully silly stuff herein. I never realized until buying this and the companion Volume I how utterly the Python crew had mastered the gorgeously silly non-sequiter. To wit:

"Would Albert Einstein ever have hit upon the theory of relativity if he hadn't been clever?"

"Don't call me señor! I'm not a Spanish person. You must call me Mr. Biggles, or Group Captain Biggles, or Mary Biggles if I'm dressed as my wife, but never señor."

"I'm afraid we are unable to show you any more of that letter. We continue with a man with a stoat through his head."

"Were you worried when his head started to come loose?"

It just doesn't get any better than this, and being able to sit and peruse the scripts without watching the frenetic activity on the screen only goes to strengthen the generally accepted view that these guys were genius writers. As the book back states, these volumes are the winners of "the 1989 PYTHON PRIZE for their own books." ARE there higher honors than this?

Conquering the Food Chain: Living Amongst Animals Without Becoming One is a "feel good" read. Ms. Mantle brings readers into her domain by sharing her unique experiences with the pets she loves. The content is captivating and touches the emotions of all of us who love and respect our pets as family members. Some of the excerpts will make you laugh and others might make you cry. Whether the reader is already a pet owner or contemplating a new addition to the family, this book is a "must read."

This book had me laughing and crying. Through her humorous, sad, tragic, and poignant stories dealing with the experiences she's had with the various animals in her own life, Stacy Mantle has provided an excellent glimpse into the minds, hearts, and souls of dedicated animal rescue workers all over the world.

The world needs more books like this one!

In this humorous and touching book about living with a large assortment of pets, author Stacy Mantle had me chuckling out loud to myself more than once.

The book is composed of small essay-like chapters that are an excellent way to relax and end a busy day with a smile on your face. One of my favorite chapters was "Falling Into The Food Chain", where Stacy happens to fall while vacuuming and cannot get up (this is not the funny part...yet). Her pets think that this is quite a fun game, and are seemingly amazed at how "into" the game she is as she crawls to the nearest telephone. What fun!

This book makes a wonderful gift for yourself, for all of the pet lovers in your life, and for all of the people who don't know they are pet lovers... yet.

You don't need to be owned by multiple animals of different species to appreciate and relate to Stacy's book, but it will make it all the more pleasurable. Her writing is witty and full of heart, punctuated by endearing animal antics.

Ms. Mantle's down-to-earth writing style and her unusual experiences with animals makes this a fascinating read. Emotional without being maudlin, it offers a kaleidoscopic and often humorous perspective on living with wolf-hybrids, dogs, cats, and other animals. Animal lovers will enjoy reading this; non-animal lovers will likely be converted. Her book deftly analyzes pet ownership and its responsibilities and foibles without any sugar coating. Highly recommended!

I treasured the original collection Wes developed years ago, and this is a wonderful revised "essential" selection of quotes and ideas. It's one of those books you can pick up and put down every so often just to get some 'crazy wisdom' recharge. The book brings together quotes east and west from the recent and distant past. Good stuff. Really good stuff.

If you are taking yourself, your practice, or life a little too seriously then pick up a copy of this book, sit in swing and read it with a cup of green tea and a smile.

Romp with Wes through the world of clowns, jesters and fools while you unearth the paradox that is present in our daily lives. This irreverent look at the world from the mindsets and customs of both the Eastern and Western world will make you laugh and realize that what you you will eat for breakfast is the most important thing in the world. For those who enjoy seeing esoteric views of our world and enjoy humourous examinations of our many follies, pick up your pack and join the archetypes as you travel down the road.

Crazy Wisdom offers an entertaining, easily digested, and concise view of some of the prominant philosophies and religions today. I thouroughly enjoyed it for its simplicity, insightfulness, respect, and comedy. I recommend this book to everybody. Close-minded people need not apply.

Crazy Wisdom is a straight-forward view of the modern human condition. Through the examination of many religious concepts, CW presents an excellent point of view. If you find this book you are on a rewarding but difficult path . . . and my words are but one more signpost. Eastward Ho!

Lucie and Lucy have written a book to inspire you to preserve family history in a fun and heartfelt way. This colorful book is filled with hundreds of photos to show you examples of what other families have done. It will help and encourage you to select and collect ideas and keepsakes and then give you creative ways in which you can preserve them. What better way to connect with those you love than to create an heirloom - a personal lasting "Family Original." As a grandma who feels strongly about passing along family lore, history and values to grandchildren, I highly recommend this book.

I had the pleasure of meeting co-author Lucy Lewis at this year's Book Expo America, and Family Originals was such an impressive book that my wife and I each went home with a copy - and if you want a book that will truly inspire you to turn family history and memories into a living, shared celebration of life, you will too.

If you are you like most of us, with a drawer full of faded photographs and a yearly struggle to remember every nephew's birthday, this book is full of practical tips that include a step-by-step game plan for organizing your family photos, a treasure trove of places that memories may hide, from recipes to exercise journals, and nearly 100 pages of themes ranging from holidays to old vehicles to your religious faith. But much more than that, it gives you a recipe for building the stories, the memories, and the shared values that form your family's "culture" - and as an author on organizational culture and communications skills, the authors' focus on developing this sense of "who we are" and passing it along really resonated with me.

The book itself is a stunning visual achievement, thanks to the design efforts of David Hunt - ideas are literally popping off of every page, with hundreds of suggestions and seemingly a cast of thousands - their contributor acknowledgements alone represent two full pages of small-point type. This is nothing less than a tool to bring your family closer, and build relationships that stretch beyond our lifetimes into history.

-Rich Gallagher, author of The Soul of an Organization and Great Customer Connections

This book is such an innovative way to learn different ways to keep my family keepsakes and memeories alive. It has spawned on to even new ideas and then realizing I already had some of my own to share. Tell everyone about this book because preserving our family history is important to those who are young.

At first glance this book might make you feel guilty about all of your family projects that haven't gotten done, but the exact opposite is true. The authors have made it easy to find and embrace a project that is perfect for the task at hand. They encourage real people with real schedules to start small, and they give us unique and motivating ideas. My personal favorites are the ideas for preserving my mother-in-law's recipes, the dictionary of family expressions, and the self-addressed postcards to document family vacations. But there are hundreds more, all presented with clever and hysterical family photos and graphics to stimulate your own creative juices. I highly recommend this book to any family who has ever been on vacation, had a birthday party, or loved a grandparent -- which is just about all of us.

Family Originals is a wonderful book that will have you reading it once just for the fun of it, then going back to start your own lists and projects. There are so many good ideas and examples that even I stopped my procrastinating ways and swung into action to record more of our priceless family memories! It is great fun to give a copy to all of your extended family to get them going, too. The ideas really begin to flow, prompted by this well organized and creative book.

I read this book ages ago and enjoyed it completely. Chris Elliott is one of the most underrated comics around and this book is proof. Virtually nobody has read it, but everyone who has loves it.

The legendary CHRIS ELLIOTT will be LIVE in the MANIATV! studios on Wednesday October 19th at 1:00 pm est. Our very own CJ Christy will be talking with him about his hilarious new book, THE SHROUD OF THE THWACKER and his roles in cult film and television. So whether you're the world's biggest Cabin Boy fan or know of him as David Letterman's Guy Under the Bleachers, this is an exclusive interview you won't want to miss.

ManiaTV! is a live internet television station found at [...]. It is absolutely free to watch 24/7.

If there is anything you've ever wanted to ask CHRIS ELLIOTT, [...]and we'll consider adding them!

Recent interviews include George A. Romero, Death Cab For Cutie, Blackalicious, Paul Feig, Dashboard Confessional, Margaret Cho and Jeff "the Dude" Dowd.

[...]

And that's the reason Chris interpolated THE POSEIDON ADVENTURE into DADDY'S BOY. Pamela Sue was at the apogee of her scrumptiousness in 1973. In the squeezy-wet summer of her sweet goosey youth. Don't be fooled by Chris's distractionary references to "the leggy blonde in the wedgie sandals". Carol Lynley means nothing to Chris. There's only you, Pamela Sue. Only you.

If Bobby Darin was a triple-threat, Bobby Elliott was a megatuple-threat: "When I entered his world, he was at his height. You couldn't turn on the radio without hearing his deep manly baritone belting out a lilting romantic lullaby. You couldn't go to the movies without seeing his rock-solid shoulders and receding hairline fill the screen, and you couldn't go to the supermarket without seeing his cherubic face emblazoned on the labels of Bob Elliott's Famous Salad Dressing, or Bob Elliott's Popcorn, Chewing Tobacco, and Turkey Franks. He monopolized the talk shows and gossip columns. His appearance could turn a boring party into an 'event'. He composed, he performed, he lifted weights, and he painted all the murals in the lobby of the RCA Building. He was King of Comedy, King of Drama, and Teen Beat's Hunk-of-the-Month at age 53."

Let it also be known that Chris shamelessly borrowed a bit of shtick from THE HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE: "He [Wulfgang Herbert] also felt that since there were no right angles in nature, there should be no right angles in anything man-made, including architecture. Every attempt at constructing a Herbert school without right angles met with disaster before the school could be completed, and so classes were held outside, literally on 68th and Lexington."

Chris appropriated Monty Python's Trim-Jeans joke with complete peace of mind: "Still later that night, with my mind lost in the parking lot of the Bates Motel, my nostrils filled with the familiar Mum aroma. I woke immediately, and there, standing in the doorway, was Daddy. He was naked except for a pair of inflatable undershorts. (The undershorts were something he had seen advertised on television. Supposedly, if you wore them to bed, you could lose weight in your sleep.) He stood swaying in the doorway for an eternity. Then, in a hushed voice, almost a whisper, he implored: 'If you eat spaghetti, please watch out for the bay leaves!' He turned and was gone as suddenly as he had appeared."

But the best reason to hate Chris is for the following passage: "The twins, A and B, shaved their heads, moved to Iran, and opened a chain of Bob's Big Boys, and the rest of the thugs were at Stanford Medical School trying to come up with a cure for those obnoxious people who insist on closing their eyes whenever they talk."

It just so happens that some of those eye-closers are thinking of Pamela Sue Martin. And there's nothing wrong with that. Isn't that right, Chris.

I laughed my ass off, non-stop, from cover to cover.

Any questions?

Chris Elliott had, prior to writing Daddy's Boy, proven himself to be THE interpreter of tortured genius Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Reading this tour-de-force gives us an insight into how one so seemingly insouciant as Mr. Elliott could render such pain so forcibly yet tenderly as he did in his one man show where he played the presidential paraplegic and tempest-tossed castaway. For we see that his own life has been a nightmare picaresque, a bob-and-weave in the eternal boxing match with the father. Daddy's Boy is a roller coaster ride through the bowels of hell from start to finish. If you liked Richard III, The Epic of Gilgamesh, and A Night Without Armor, you will run naked through your mother's boudoir due to the thrill you'll receive from Daddy's Boy.

I absolutely adore these "Circle" books. I've read all of them & they are all wonderful stories...full of fun & mystery & good friends working together to solve the crime using a bit of magic to help them along. These books are hard to put down! I've been waiting patiently for the next book in the series so I went to the author's webpage & she says that the publishers are holding off on publishing the next book. In fact, I emailed her recently & she wrote back to say that books 5 & 6 are finished & she's about a third of the way into book 7! This is what she says on her website:

Alas, no news on the publication of the fifth and sixth (all written!)Circle and Cass Shipton adventures. If you are moved to write to Kensington Books, Inc. to say you enjoyed the first four adventures, it can't hurt, might help. My editor is Audrey LaFehr [...]

I've emailed twice already & maybe if we can get a letter writing campaign going, we'll be able to convince them to publish the rest of these great books! I've recommended this series to my friends & am having them email Kensington too. I honestly dont know why they're not getting published. It must be disappointing to Dolores to keep writing these stories & have Kensington drag their feet about getting them in print. I'm currently reading the books again & hope that one day soon I'll be able to find out what else Cass & her friends have been up to. So, please, if you're a big fan of the books, take a minute & send her editor an email letting her know much you've enjoyed the Circle series & that you want to keep going on lovely adventures with Cass & company! Maybe with some emails & a wee bit of magic, we'll soon be into a new mystery! I WANT MORE BOOKS! Thanks for letting me ramble but it's for a good cause! LOL!

I loved this book , as I have all of this authors work. So much fun and suspense wraped together, impossible to put down.

the only problem with this series is that ms. riccio just can't seem to crank them out fast enough! all the books about these ladies are great romps and this one was no exception.---hurry up with the next one!

I love this series of books! Good thrillers that don't give you nightmares or gross you out. The interaction between the circle of friends is engaging. Good for more than a few chuckles and the occasional belly laugh. I've stayed up half the night on more than one occasion because I couldn't put the book down. The Wiccan slant is accurate but not over done, so non-pagans should enjoy this read. My mother-in-law loves these books, too, and keeps asking me when more are coming out. According to the authors website, she's finished 2 more books and has started a 3rd. For some reason, they're not getting published! On the authors website, you can find an email address to pass on your support for this series of books to the publisher and ask for more! And if anyone has a clue as to why there's a problem with getting these books published, please share...because I'm completely baffled!

As usual, The Divine Circle is full of twists, turns, laughs and fun. This series of books was introduced to me by a friend, and I love them. Finally, friends who treat each other with respect, loyalty and life long contributions who enjoy the path they are given.

The books plot is fresh and unusual, which adds to Ms Riccio's outstanding writing.

I for one, can't wait for more.

I initially bought this book because it was about a Yorkie...I have now bought additional copies to send to friends that have Yorkies.

I had to keep reading until I finished, couldn't put it down. And have now decided any dog lover will totally enjoy this book and see their dog through each story!!

DON'T MISS IT!! It will brighten your day and we can all use a little of that!!

As a life-long dog owner, I was so excited to read this book. Reading the puppy-training stories, brought those days right back to mind. The author does such a great job of humorously describing the antics of her puppy. Great coffee table book - you'll hear your guests laughing out loud. Super gift idea for any dog lover in your life!

I received this book as a gift for Christmas and couldn't put it down until I had finished it. The book is totally hilarious. The author describes pet ownership to a T. Even though I am a life long cat person, meow, I can so totally relate to the authors experiences. Great Book, a must read if you want to laugh hysterically. I hope the author keeps us up to date with another book about Dylan's antics.

I don't own a dog and I love this funny, witty and incredibly entertaining book of short stories about Ellice and her dog, Dylan. I have a cat, yet I can totally relate to the funny little things that go on between pet and owner. It's just that there are not many talented and creative pet owners who can compile all these beloved stories and turn them into a beautiful little book. I'll be anxiously awaiting a sequel!

I wasn't sure what to expect from this book. I found myself laughing from start to finish. When I got to the last page - I was sorry it was over. I loved it.

Thanks so much!!!

Another great Foxtrot. Its creator retired while he still had his edge and this book displays every bit of his wit. RIP Roger Foxx and family - and iguana. Buy this before they all disappear.

I have been a faithful FoxTrot reader for years. Roger, Andy and their kids Peter, Paige and Jason are always good for a reality check with a large dose of laughter. I've got two girls and let me tell you, I see a lot of my kids in Paige with, I believe, even a healthy dose of Jason thrown in. And they have Peter's bottomless stomach. Of course, they're faithful FoxTrot readers too. I used to read the strip to them, explain what was going on, but now they get it just fine and we three all laugh together. Then my girls try and explain the strip to their dad, who pretends he doesn't get it.

The FoxTrot folks are a great family, one we sort of got used to checking up on every day, so we took the news that Mr. Amend was going to cease daily distribution of his wonderfully funny people and turn his strip to Sunday only, with a bit of sadness. Still, we have these terrific FoxTrot books to keep us going with our FoxTrot fix. Mr. Amend is to be commended for his great gift to our culture and his great gift to so many lives. I truly believe a laugh a day, helps keep the blues away and the FoxTrot gang are always good for a laugh. Heck there are a lot of laughs in the FoxTrot books. I know, I have them all and I am, along with my girls and my hubby dear, eagerly awaiting the next one.

Oh yes, I forgot to mention, we don't have an iguana, but my girls do have a pet gecko and, you guessed it, his name is Quincy.

I've been a Foxtrot reader for a long time and personally I think there is something suspiciously wrong with people who don't find Bill Amend's characters funny as all get out. If you want a good laugh, check out Bill in your local newspaper, or better yet, get one of the Foxtrot books. They are all great, really, they are.

Like many of Mr. Amend's fans I'm a bit disappointed he's switching his strip to Sunday-only, but fortunately I can still read him daily in the Foxtrot books. Get them one and all and you can keep right on a laughing.

I've always been a good fan of foxtrot, so I found this book quite good. Its kinda short though, and you finish it in about a half-hour to an hour. If you like long books, this wouldn't be to fun for you.

i think this book is sort of funny.i also think it needed some work.i like my other foxtrot book better.

This book is written with a sense of humor. It has lots of ideas, tips, recipes, and facts; it even has poetry. There are no patterns but plenty of ideas and pictures (to copy). This book is a delight!

I love this book! Not only are the pumpkin carving ideas amazing, but the guy has great suggestions with a good sense of humor. My only regret was that I ordered it late in October and I didn't get the book in time to pursue some of the projects for Halloween night. But it sure made for a great table book and conversation piece at my little Halloween get together. Next year we'll be ready to take some of these on! The photos are wonderful and we all cracked up, deciding which pumkin extravaganza was our favorite. So if you're seriously into having some Halloween creativity and fun, get this little book.
FUNNY!

This book is entertaining, hilarious, and is guaranteed to equally disturb your neighbors and make you a legend among the neighborhood kids come Halloween. Easy instructions to make one of the many bizzare pumpkins illustrated or to "take creative wing" and scare the bejeebers out of the neighbors! Put the fun back into Halloween-this book will show you how!!!

I love this guy,I've been watching his website for years. Search under
Extreme Pumpkins.Not for the mainsteam friendly smiling pumpkin carver.
The book has great pictures and instructions. You get to use POWER TOOLS!
I recommend it as a great book for yourself and to give to any friends you have with a strange sense of humor! Warning your neighbors may think you've gotten a little too far out there!!!

Fantastic book! Provides wonderful ideas for creating very funny, creative pumpkins that are sure to impress teenage boys and horrify the neighborhood association.

This collection of Tony Carrillo's wonderful new comic strip F MINUS shows why he is gaining in popularity across the country. His offbeat humor is both original and right on the money.

His Spartan art only complements the humor and makes it a stand out in the current field of The Far Side wannabes in today's newspapers and bookstores.

Here's hoping there are many more collections of this laugh out loud strip in the years to come.

Having spent a few years at Arizona State when F-Minus was run in the campus paper, I've seen pretty much the whole collection. This book is an excellent collection of comics run over the first year of syndication, and it contains some of my favorites.

That being said, it needs more of the work Tony did in the ASU newspaper. I'm not sure if there's an issue with the syndication/copyright/whatever that prevents those from being included, but there are only about five pages worth of ASU-era F-Minus comics. Hopefully the rest surface (or have surfaced) somewhere for posterity's sake.

I really enjoy this book, my kind of sense of humor. With this book, now I don't have to refer back to my hard drive where I save my favorite F-Minus comics when I need a laugh. If you enjoy Garfield comics or not, you will definitely enjoy this book!

This book is excellent for any fan of f-minus. It always fun to see comics from his college years as well as his comics from the first year of syndication. I highly recommend getting this book.

What a great book. I've been a fan of F-Minus and Carrillo for a while, but this book is full of comics that I have read and some that are new to me and each one is better than the last. I'm just waiting for the sequel.